Published July 22, 2026
For many students across Maryland, summer break is an exciting time to look forward to, filled with warm weather and relaxing time with friends. But for many families struggling with food insecurity, summer also brings a real challenge: losing access to the free school meals their children rely on.
During the school year, the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program help to shield children from hunger in the classroom while also helping kids stay focused, boosting academic performance, and supporting overall health and well-being. When summer arrives, that critical resource disappears, which for many families means added stress from the additional strain on already tight budgets.
The good news is several Summer Nutrition Programs are available to ensure kids stay nourished, and families stay supported all season long.
Maryland SUNBucks
Maryland SUNBucks is a federal nutrition assistance program that provides families with a grocery benefit to help keep nutritious food on the table when school is out for the summer. Eligible children receive $40 per month in June, July, and August for a total of $120 per child for the summer.
Last year, SUNBucks reached more than 630,000 Maryland children, helping families buy groceries at participating Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) retailers, including local farmers’ markets. For an added benefit, families shopping at participating farmers’ markets can pair SUNBucks with Maryland Market Money to double their dollars on fresh produce.
Most eligible families enrolled in SUNBucks automatically started receiving benefits at the end of June. Families already using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) see benefits added directly to their current EBT cards. Families not on SNAP or TCA can reuse the white SUNBucks card from past summers or one that is received in the mail at the address their child’s school has on file.
Some families with children attending schools that use the Community Eligibility Provision may need to apply separately for SUNBucks. If families believe they are eligible but have not received a direct certification notice in the mail from the Maryland Department of Human Services, submitting this quick online application is the best way to make sure to not miss out on this summer resource.
To learn more about this program and who needs to apply, visit the Maryland Department of Human Service’s Maryland SunBucks website.
Summer Meals
The summer meals program, funded through the federal Summer Food Service Program, provides free, nutritious meals to all kids and teens under 18. Meals are served at schools, libraries, recreation centers, and other community spaces where kids gather during the summer.
Depending on the site, children may receive breakfast, lunch, and/or supper. Most locations require meals to be eaten on-site. However, in rural areas, families may be able to pick up multiday meal boxes to take home.
To find open meal sites, including both congregate sites and rural grab‑and‑go locations, families can insert their zip code into the interactive state summer meal locator map at MDSummerMeals.org.
Support for Community Programs
Summer meals do more than just support nutrition for kids during the summer. Summer programs such as camps, clubs, and other youth-centered community spaces can also benefit from the summer meals program by becoming meal sites. This allows them to offer healthy meals to their program participants, and in some cases, the broader community at no cost. Community programs interested in serving meals can contact jgross@mdhungersolutions.org or visit the Maryland State Department of Education’s summer meals website to learn more about and start the process by getting connected to a summer meals sponsor.